Bearing lubrication.



M. F. WSLLIAMS.

BEARING LUBBICATIGN.

APPLlcATloN man MAY?, |917.

l 238,23 9 Patente Aug. 28, 191?.

man .sauras Partnr orrion.

MILTON F. WILLIAMS, 0F ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAMS PATENT CBUSHER AN D PULVEBIZER OF MISSOURI.

COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION BEARING LUBRIGAIIOH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led May 7, 1917. Serial N o. 167,020.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, MILTON FRANKIJN WILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented a certain new andy useful Improvement in Bearing Lubrication, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to lubrication, and

specifically to an arrangement for the lubrication of roller or ball bearings in heavy service. p

The object of the invention is to provide a means for lubricating ball bearings which will insure a uniform and proper supply of lubricant .thereto at all times during operation'of the device, and which will also pro- .duce a cooling of the lubricant and the consequent cooling of the bearing.

Other and further objects will be obvious or pointed out hereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a top view of a ball bearing including my improved lubricating arrangement, certain portions being broken away to show parts in section; and

Fig. 2 is an elevation of in section.

Referring to the illustrations by the reference characters applied, let it be understood that 1 represents the supported shaft and 2 represents the casing of the bearing; 5 indicates the ball races, 6 the balls and 7 the ball cage. These parts are all well known in the art, tional fashion to form a rolling support for the shaft uponthe casing. The casing completely inoloses all portions of the bearing, and suitable packing is provided around the shaft so that lubricant may be retained within the casing.

At a convenient place adjacent the bearing is provided a lubricant container 8 in the form of a can having considerable vertical height. It is provided with a suitable {illing closure 9, drain cock 10 and sight gage 11. At a point in its lowerportion 1t is tapped by a supply pipe l2, and at a point in its upper portion by a return pipe 14:. The `supply pipe l2 leads to a point in the the same, partly and are employed in the convenlower portion of the casing 2, where it is tapped through the casing for communica` nication.

In operation the container 8 is filled `with fluid lubricant to the level indicated by the line L. This level is approximately at the horizontal median line of the ball at the lowest point in the bearing. Upon operation of the shaft, the balls are carried around on the race'in the usual fashion, in which operation they act to carry with them a portion of the lubricant which they pick up in the lower part of the casin This gives the bearing the proper lubrication. The centrifugal action throws the lubricant against the outer race, and the movement of the balls thereon moves it. laterally, "so that a portion of it is thrown into the trough 15. Thence itfiows through the outlet opening, through pipe 14 and back into the container 8. As the oil so owing into the container 8 is warm, due to the movement of the bearing, it will tend to remain at the top of the container. However, as oil is being withdrawn from the bottom of the container to replace that so fed from the bearing back into the container, there is a constant movement of oil from the upper portion to the lower portion of the container, during which movement the cil is allowed to cool, so that, when it Hows from the lower portion of the container back into the bearing, it is suiiciently cool to have a material eli'ect lin keeping the bearing cool. able strainer may be disposed in the container between pipes 14 and 12 to extract any extraneous matter. The vconnection of the supply pipe 12 with thelubricant container is some little distance above the bottom thereof, so that' a space isleft below It desired, a suitth@ Supply pipe for the settling of anygsediment which this sediment the circulation. Anyjsuita le coolingorra- `diatin device may be arrangedlingassocia- Ytion with the lubricant container Sto facilitate the exchange of heat from the lubricant may remain in the lubricant, thereby bein removed out-oftherein. For the purpose of illustration, have shown a water jacket 16 conductively associated with the container, and adapted for the reception or circulation of cool water. Numerous variations of this feature will suggest themselves.

I am aware that the device is susceptible of various modifications without departing from the scope of the invention indicated in the accompanying claims.

What claim is:

l. A lubricating bearing) comprising the combination of a casing, caring members supported therein for revolution in a vertical orbit, a lubricant container of greater vertical height than the casing, a supply pipe leading from the lower portion of said container to the lower portion of the casing for the conduction of iiuid lubricant from the container to the casing into contact with the bearing members, a return pipe communicating with the container and with the casing at a point adjacent the orbit ot the bearing members above the point of communication of the supply pipe, there being means for guiding lubricant from the bearing member into the return pipe.

closing said bearing member, a container for r l fluid lubricant, a supply pipe for conducting fluid lubricant from said container into the lower portion of the casing in the path of the bearing member, and a return pipe communicating with the container and with the casing adjacent the path of the bearing member in position tol receive lubricant therefrom upon rotation of the supported member.

3.- A lubricating bearing including revoluble members for supporting a shaft, races on which said members are held, a casing inclosing said races and members, a container for fluid lubricant, a pipe for conf ducting lubricant from said container to the and a return with said cas the path of the revoluble memlower portion of said casing, pipe having a communication ing adjacent bers and with the container above its point of communication with the supply pipe.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix my signature this 30th day of April, 1917.

MLTON F. WlLLlAMS. 

